1 Peter Bible Study 01 - Elected and Chosen

Opener:
Tell us your name and what people you work with or live with think about Christians.

Scripture Introduction:
Read 1 Peter 1:1-2.  Who is writing?  What do we know about him from these verses?

Bonus:  What is the difference between a disciple and an apostle?  Fact: Peter was both.

Try to come up with 3-5 adjectives that describe what you know about Peter that you don’t see in these verses.

Read Matthew 14:22-32. What do we discover about Peter from this passage?

Target Audience:
Who is he writing to? What do we know about them from these first two verses?

What makes them different from the people they work with? Their next-door neighbors? Make a list of these qualities. Then, next to the list, put a “C” for those things that are a result of a human choice, and “W” for those things that are a result of the will of God. What do you notice about this list?

Which parts of this list do you think the average Christian has a hard time living out?  Why?

Putting Myself in the Scriptures:
Circle two or three attributes that you are struggling with in your life.  It might be something that makes you uncomfortable because it’s true, or something that should be your choice, but it isn’t an easy choice to make.

Call to Action:
Peter ends his greeting by saying, “May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”

What do you think he means by grace and peace?  Where do these come from?  What can we do to spread grace and peace where we go?

How would your life be different if you received and gave grace and peace “in the fullest measure?”

What one thing can you do this week to receive a “fuller measure” of grace and peace?

Homework for Next Week:
Read 1 Peter 1:3-12 and Mark 8:27-37.

Come next week ready to talk about how you have been receiving and giving grace and peace this week.

Invite someone to come along with you or to the Facebook group next week.

Guest Post: Lay a Foundation (Life Lessons from Chess) by Paul Fleeman

 

This is a guest post by Major Paul Fleeman, Principal of The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Chicago.  It is part of a series that he has agreed to have posted on my blog.

LAY A FOUNDATION
Major Paul Fleeman

Key Bible Verses: He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." (Luke 6: 48-49)

The opening of a chess game can often make or break the final outcome. Your goal is to take control of the center of the board. The opening establishes your foundation. There are several general principles to follow. Try not to move a chess piece more than once in the opening. It helps to move your two center pawns out so your bishops, rooks and queen have a way to get into the game. Do not bring your queen out too soon.   
                                           
In our scripture we learn the importance of laying a good foundation (Luke 6: 47-49). As Christians we need to rely on the “rock of our salvation” and not on the world. How do we learn about that “rock”?  From the word of God!

My response: Lord, show me a scripture verse I can share to help provide a strong foundation to someone today.

Thought to Apply: We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by the inspiration of God and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice. (Salvation Army Handbook of Doctrine)

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Guest Post: Know Your Audience (Life Lessons from Chess) by Paul Fleeman

 

This is a guest post by Major Paul Fleeman, Principal of The Salvation Army's College for Officer Training in Chicago.  It is part of a series that he has agreed to have posted on my blog.

KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
Major Paul Fleeman

Key Bible Verse: Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6 NIV)

During a lesson at the St. Paul Citadel Chess Club, I explained to the students the importance of making the right moves in the game. My objective was to illustrate the importance of making right decisions in life.  I began by sharing that if you count both the “white” and the “black” side’s first move, there are actually 40 possibilities. Add this to the second move and you will discover 71,852 possibilities. The third move includes 9 million possibilities. The fourth move, 315 billion. At that point, Donavan raised his hand and said, “Major Fleeman, I’m only in kindergarten!” I could not help from giggling inside when I realized the information I was sharing was much more interesting to me than my audience.

Scripture warns against throwing pearls to swine. Now I don’t believe He was comparing people to pigs as much as explaining the importance of discerning what and how much to share with your listeners as you tell them of the love of Christ. The fact is, if they don’t understand what we are saying it will only lead to confusion, not discipleship.

My response: Lord, what words can I use to make understanding of the love of Christ clear today?

Thought to Apply: “Sing it o’er and o’er again, Christ receiveth sinful men; Make the message clear and plain, Christ receiveth sinful men.” (Erdmann Neumeister)

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

You Forgot What?

OK, so I'm a forgetful person.  I will walk into a room, knowing I was going in search of something but can't remember what I was going in after.  Very frustrating to me and others.

My wife Beth was going through some journal entries I was making while I was a Cadet in training over 20 years ago.  One field training Sunday back then, I was scheduled to preach.  The way it worked back then was that I was assigned months in advance.  I was to submit, one at a time, a proposal for a Bible passage, a Bible Study, a short sermon outline, an extended (I used to day distended) outline, and a manuscript.  After several weeks expired and trees suffered from the paper usage, I was ready (or so I thought) to stand up in the pulpit with my manuscript.  To make matters worse, the field training officer (who was and is still a very nice person) was sitting in the back of the congregation with a grading sheet and the manuscript, giving a grade and constructive criticism on my sermon delivery.

I traveled with my brigade to the location, a two-hour drive away.  For whatever reason,I didn't have my manuscript with me.  No notes, no outline, no sermon.  The adrenaline was flowing as I tried to conceal my oversight from the training officer.  I had a few minutes alone before the meeting, and took a blank sheet of paper.  I folded it in half sideways so that it would fit in my Bible.  From what I remembered of my sermon, I wrote a bullet-point outline in two columns, one on each side of the fold.

When I got in the pulpit, I was nervous, but I felt strangely free.  I was able to step away from the pulpit, look people in the eye or take a small side trip that seemed appropriate at the moment. 

That Sunday morning began what for me has been a regular system for sermon delivery:

• I prepare my sermon in much the same way, except I don't create an extended outline or manuscript.
• I take a piece of graph paper (I like the horizontal and vertical lines for lining things up), fold it in half, and write on the open side of the paper.
• I write only a simple outline - bullet points and subpoints.  Any crucial points or quotes I will write out word for word.  I may also write the words to a prayer chorus on the page.  There are usually no mre than 200 words on the page.
• I write the notes by hand so that my memory can better recall my thoughts from a glance at the image of my own handwriting.  Printing it on the computer doesn't have the same effect.
• I fold the page and stick it in my Bible right where the preaching passage is.
• During the meeting, a thought might come up, or an illustration that ties into what someone else says.  I will open the sermon up and jot down that thought where I think it will best fit in.
• I open my Bible, put the notes next to the Scripture, and I am ready to go.

I am willing to admit that there have been several times since I was a cadet that I have lost my notes.  One time, I got up to the pulpit, ready to preach, thinking my notes were in my Bible, and they weren't.  Too late to do anything else.  I said, "Let's pray."  And God had His way among us.

So my encouraging advice to you is to wean yourself from the manuscript.  And I know you'll be a better preacher.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Preliminary Signup - Mentoring for Men

I am planning a life-changing event for me and eight men.  It will start September 2010 and will go for nine months.

The commitment:

• Mandatory attendance and participation in nine Monday night sessions (roughly once a month), three hours each with me at my home in Des Plaines, Illinois.
• Activities between sessions, including reading, writing and memorizing scripture
• Humility - being transparent and open to new and challenging teaching in your life.  Also being willing to share your triumphs and defeats in order to help others in the group.
• Final pot luck dinner session with spouses (Date and location TBA, Spring 2011)
• Being willing to "pay it forward," mentoring another group of men at some point when it is appropriate in your life.

I will select eight men based on the following schedule:

• Phase 1 - Gather email addresses from any interested in participating.  Giving me your email address does not commit you to the process or promise you a spot in the sessions.
• Phase 2 - Applications will be distributed by email in June 2010 with an invitation to apply.
• Phase 3 - Eight participants will be selected, invited and asked to agree to a list of commitments.  This will be completed by August 15, 2010.
• Phase 4 - Mentoring sessions begin September 2010.

The benefits of being involved:

• It's a finite commitment.  It won't last forever, so it is a more manageable commitment.
• We will all learn from each other in an open, transparent environment.  The ability to be honest and hold each other accountable will be invaluable.
• We will each be better husbands, fathers and church members.
• You will be better equipped and encouraged to "pass the torch," mentoring other men in the future.

If you are interested, make sure I get your name and email address by one of the following methods:

• Send me a Direct Message on Twitter.
• Email me
• Send me a Facebook message.  My screen name is Tom McComb

I am looking forward not only to meeting a new group of friends, but also to seeing what God will do among us as we pour our lives into each other.

He Doesn't Know the Territory

"He Doesn't Know the Territory!"  This is a line from "Music Man," one of our family's favorite musicals.  Taylor was one of the "Pick-a-little" girls in a production her middle school put on.  Very fun.

But the quote is good as a warning for preachers too.  You need to know the territory.

Even Professor Harold Hill, who didn't know the first thing about boys bands, spent time getting to know the people of River City in order to present his sales pitch in a way that they couldn't resist.

Preachers need to do the same thing.  That is why, except for a few rare situations, the local pastor is the best one to minister from the pulpit.

For some time in my ministry as a corps officer, I was glad to get a break when a DHQ officer came.  One time, a DHQ guest said to me, "I will either preach or pay for lunch."  At that time, I was glad to preach, so that our corps could save some money.  Other than that, I would have the DHQ guest preach.  I thought they might have something to say to our people.  But I found that they didn't really connect with the people.  It wasn't that the content wasn't good, or that it wasn't well-prepared or well delivered.  But I knew my soldiers better.

Visiting preachers don't connect well from the pulpit because they don't have a relationship with them before the sermon begins.

Many of you can remember, as I do, Commissioner Andy Miller, when he was guest speaking, he would roam the auditorium, not only before the meeting started, but sometimes while the meeting was happening.  He would talk with people, "read" their faces, pray with people and get a sense of the crowd.  He would let the Holy Spirit inspire him as to what he should include in his sermon.  Sometimes, he would use something he learned just a few minutes before in his sermon.  Other times, I am convinced, he actually changed what he was going to preach in order to match what he was sensing among the people.

Commissioner Miller knew the value of connecting with the people before the sermon in order to connect better with them from the pulpit.

Here are a few things I remember that help me "know the territory."

1. Pay attention to news events.  Maybe you switched your sermon just after September 11, 2001, or just after the Haiti earthquake.  If you did, you understood what your people needed to hear.  After all, preaching is about meeting needs, and crisis is a prime time to allow the Bible to apply to uncertainty.
2. Use personal examples.  When I spoke about faithful service, sometimes, I would refer to some soldier in the congregation who was a great example of that.  They aren't perfect examples, and I risked embarrassing them, but it really connected with the congregation that day.
3. Listen to what you hear on Sunday morning.  If someone is going through a crisis, or has a story of victory, maybe it's time to delay the sermon and have a short time of prayer or testimony.  More than once, I have ditched my planned message because God was doing something incredible in the meeting - I just had to step aside.  
4. Address known issues.  Because you have been working with the families, you know what faith issues people are facing.  From your face-to-face ministry with them through the week, you can tailor make your sermons to meet those needs.  Maybe it's an illustration, or a whole sermon.  Other times, you may decide to construct a whole series to help your people deal with today's life challenges.
5. Watch faces.  This is my weakest area, because sometimes I "zone in" to my message and don't realize what is happening as I am preaching, but sometimes, you can see pain or distraction on someone's face.  At those times, be sensitive to what God is stirring in your heart to say.
6. Go with a distraction.  Even in the most peaceful of corps environments, an interruption comes.  Maybe it's a crying baby or a disruptive kid.  One time on an Easter Sunday with a visiting preacher (I wasn't there), a child pulled the fire alarm.  If there is a distraction, understand that even the most focused congregation member is distracted.  If you keep preaching without skipping a beat, you will lose your audience's attention.  My advice:  Acknowledge the interruption, laugh about it, then return to the sermon.  It might even serve as an illustration to something you are already talking about.  I suppose that comedians know better how to deal with hecklers, but preachers need to be nimble (and humble) enough to deal with an interruption with grace.

As I write this, I am preparing to "guest speak" before a group of people, most of whom I don't know.  I hope to do a little bit of "working the room" in order to be better connected for the message.

What do you do to make sure you are connecting with your audience?

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Theologian of American Anguish

I have always been intrigued by our 16th president, this gentle giant who was Abraham Lincoln.  Today, in his tribute, I will lift a few quotes from a book given me by my historian cousin.  It is called, "Abraham Lincoln: Theologian of American Anguish" by Elton Trueblood.  This first edition is signed by the author. As I make my annual pilgrimage into this book, I share bits of it with you.

From Chapter 1 - The Spiritual Pilgrimage of Abraham Lincoln (page 7):

"The anguish which Lincoln experienced more than a century ago gave birth, not only to penitence and thanksgiving, but to much more that has endured in our spiritual panoply. The phrase "under God," which emerged spontaneously at the Gettysburg Battlefield in November, 1863, has now become an official part of our Salute to the Flag. "In God we trust," first used in Lincoln's administration, still adorns our coinage and is engraved on the walls of both houses of Congress. Out of anguish came greatness such as does not normally come in easier times."

 Quoting Lincoln in Chapter 2, The Agonizing Interlude (page 44-45):

"We are indeed going through a great trial — a fiery trial. In the very responsible position in which I happen to be placed, being a humble instrument in the hands of our Heavenly Father, as I am, and as we all are, to work out his great purposes, I have desired that all my works and acts may be according to his will, and that it might be so, I have sought his aid — but if after endeavoring to do my best in the light which he affords me, I find my efforts fail, I must believe that for some purpose unknown to me, He wills it otherwise. If I had had my way, this war would never have been commenced; if I had been allowed my way this war would have been ended before this, but we find it still continues; and we must believe that He permits it for some wise purpose of His own, mysterious and unknown to us; and though with our limited understandings we may not be able to comprehend it, yet we cannot but believe, that he who made the world still governs it."

From Chapter 3, Lincoln and the Bible (pages 50-51):

"How well he knew some of the verses is shown by the lawyer's response when he drove out into the country to make a will for a woman who was dying. After the will had been signed and witnessed, the woman asked Lincoln to read a few verses out of the Bible. A copy of the Scriptures was produced, but Lincoln did not open it. Instead, he recited from memory the Twenty-third Psalm and the opening verses of the fourteenth chapter of John."

From Chapter 4, Lincoln and Prayer (pages 73-74):

"The evidence of Abraham Lincoln's own practice of personal prayer is so abundant that no thoughtful person can deny it. He prayed alone, and he called the nation to prayer; he prayed for guidance, and he prayed in gratitude; he prayed in defeat, and he prayed in victory. Often noted was his reverence when others engaged in vocal prayer.  Along with his unashamed reverence, however, went a large measure of reticence. Though Mrs. Pomeroy said that she heard the President praying aloud in the White House, we have no text of any vocal prayer uttered by him. Something of his reticence is indicated by the fact that when he attended with regularity the weekly prayer meeting at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, he elected to sit unseen in the pastor's study with the door ajar. The President told his pastor, Dr. Phineas D. Gurley, that he received important help from these unostentatious gatherings, chiefly because they were characterized more by prayer than by the making of speeches. By this time in his life, with countless heavy burdens upon him, Lincoln had entirely outgrown juvenile delight in religious argument. Talking with God seemed to the mature Lincoln more important than talking about Him."

I hope these few excerpts are enough to whet your appetite for more of who Lincoln was, and perhaps to find more significance to his 201st birthday.  God bless you today!

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Where Suffering Doesn't Come From

There seem to be a lot of ideas running around about where suffering comes from.  Many of those ideas come from humanity's well-intentioned desire to come up with a logical explanation for everything.  In Bible study this week, we studied Luke 12 and 13, in which Jesus encourages his disciples to be ready and to concentrate on what is most important in their lives.

Here are the first five verses of Luke 13:

Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.  Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.  Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?  I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."

In these verses, Jesus attempts to get them to focus not on why others are suffering, but on their relationship with God.  According to Jesus, our relationship with God is more important than trying to find an explanation for everything.

Here is a list of conclusions people come to about suffering, and why they are wrong.

• You are suffering because you sinned.  While we know that driving 150 miles per hour in front of the police station has its consequences, most suffering comes because the world is broken because sin entered the world.  So if you have cancer, it's not because you didn't say your prayers every night as a child.  When the man who was born blind was presented to Jesus, the people wanted to know if his blindness was because of his sin or his parent's sin.  Jesus reminded them that they were missing the point and that God was going to get His glory through their friend.
• You don't have enough faith.  I can't tell you how many times I have heard this from people wanting to present a quick-fix for those who are suffering.  And at the same time, this is the last thing suffering people want to hear.  Didn't Job have faith?  Faith when he lost his family and all his possessions?  Sometimes bad things happen to people with big faith.  After all, even the most saintly people die eventually (unless Jesus comes first, that is).
• God is punishing you.  This was offered by some as an explanation for the recent Haiti earthquake and was met with strong rebuff.  This statement is absurd and tremendously hurtful.  First of all, God's judgment has not yet come - Jesus refers to the "Day of Judgment" as something that is later - not today.  Not to mention that without Jesus' salvation, we all deserve judgment and punishment anyway.  The "God is punishing you" write-off often masks a self-righteous attitude.  Except for God's forgiveness, none of us escape the judgment, and we should all be grateful that it hasn't happened yet.
• God causes suffering.  This is sometimes phrased as a question - "Why is God causing this suffering?"  While I believe that God does allow suffering into our lives to help us build character, He is not its source.  On the contrary, His prevenient grace protects us from a lot of suffering that would naturally come our way in this sinful world.

I know a lot of people who suffer in various ways.  Some are inspiring pictures of faith, relying on God to carry them through.  God has not promised that we would not suffer, but He did promise His presence to those who are suffering.

Even though I walk
       through the valley of the shadow of death,
       I will fear no evil,
       for you are with me;
       your rod and your staff,
       they comfort me.  Psalm 23:4

So don't listen to those with bad theology.  Stay close to friends who will just be there and listen during your turmoil, and listen to God.  He will be with you.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

What Did You Forget to Pack?

This is the 2nd installment in a series on how to enliven your Sunday School.

Going on a trip can be frustrating if you haven't prepared.

I can't tell you how many times I have forgotten to pack something. Like the band trip in high school when I forgot to pack black socks. Or the company conference when I forgot to pack my shaver. It creates an embarrassing situation, and has created new habits in me.

I make a list. I check with my wife. I recheck the luggage. I open a suitcase a couple of days early so that I can throw things in as I think of them.

Being properly prepared can also help you revitalize your Sunday School. Here are a few tips that Beth and I shared with the ReFuel conference a few weeks ago:

1. Know how to lead someone to Christ.  Sunday School teachers have a unique relationship with their students, and you have a larger amount of time with your class sharing spiritual truth and challenges than just about anyone else.  When the opportunity comes (and it will come) to lead someone to Christ, you will be ready.  Most quarterly Sunday School lesson guides have a page describing how to lead your students to Christ.  These instructions are also age-appropriate for your class.  Take time to become familiar with it - even to the point of memorizing it or making it your own.  This will certainly increase your joy as a teacher!
2. Arrive early.  Get to the classroom at least 15 minutes before Sunday School opening to get it ready. How many times have you entered your classroom only to find that someone "borrowed" your table for a potluck?  Or the Cub Scouts left their craft projects to dry on every available inch of counter space?  Or that someone made off with your markers?  Getting there early will ensure that your classroom will be ready for your class.  If the first time you walk into your Sunday School class is when the students arrive, you are getting there too late.
3. Read the lesson.  Do this early in the week.  If you only find out at 10:00 on Saturday night that you needed something unusual from the hardware store for tomorrow's class, you are in trouble.  Reading the lesson early will help you get the materials you need on time.  It will also make you more familiar with the lesson.  That way, you don't have to be tied to the lesson book and really interact with your students better.  Don't get me wrong - the lesson book will still be close at hand, but your nose isn't stuck in it.
4. Read the Bible passage.  Read it several times throughout the week.  Make it part of your daily devotional time or make it an extra time that you dedicate to Sunday School preparation daily.  If you make the Bible passage a part of your life during the week, it will seep out of your pores as you present it to your students. 
5. Be ready for visitors.  Few things are more discouraging to a visitor than to walk into a Sunday School room and there is nowhere to sit.  Make sure that your classroom has enough chairs, handouts, Bibles and craft supplies for extra people.  Build a vision among your "regulars" to invite others to the class (I will talk about this in a later installment).  Exercise your faith by praying over the empty chairs.  Maybe you will want to stretch your expectations by putting even more chairs in the room.  And then work to fill them.

It's Thursday, and Sunday is coming.  Are you prepared for your Sunday School class?  It's not too late to start now.

Like what you are reading? Consider the following: 1. Subscribe to my blog (there is a link for that on this page). 2. "Follow" me on twitter. It's a free account, and a great way to meet like-minded friends. My link is: http://twitter.com/tommccomb. 3. Leave a comment (I love your candid feedback and might use your ideas in future posts) 4. Tell someone else about this blog. Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you soon.

Revitalize Your Sunday School – Prayer

Beth and I just finished teaching a seminar on how to revitalize your Sunday School.  This series will address the “Six Keys” that we presented, with a bonus seventh way.

This post talks about praying for your students.  After all, two central purposes of Sunday School are (1) developing a relationship with God and (2) developing a relationship with each other.
While it is important to pray during the class, I believe that a teacher develops a stronger burden for the students by praying for them through the week.  To do that, I suggest a few techniques:

1. Get a Sunday School class roster.  While you probably need to leave the original attendance sheet at the church in order to complete statistics, making a copy for your own records is easy to do.
2. Keep the roster in your Bible.  This means that you will have this list of your students with you when you have your daily devotions.
3. Write prayer requests on the roster.  You can start with this during the Sunday School class, and add to it through the week.
4. Pray 10 minutes a day.  I have always asked my Sunday School teachers to spend at least one hour each week praying for their students.  That means a minimum of 10 minutes a day.  While this requirement is reasonable, anyone who puts it into practice will soon start using more time praying for their students.
5. Follow up with students the following Sunday.  If you have been praying for someone’s grandmother, ask about her the following week.  That follow-up will not only communicate your ongoing concern, but the updates will also allow you to be informed as you pray the following week.  But perhaps the best benefit of revisiting the requests is to inspire your students with demonstrating that God really does answer prayer.

Praying with and for your students is a privilege and a responsibility.  But more than that, it can make your Sunday School class that much more exciting week in and week out.

Maybe you have some Sunday School prayer tips.  If so, please leave a comment below.

Living Life in the Zone by Kyle Rote, Jr. and Dr. Joe Pettigrew

As a man, are you tired of the run-of-the-mill devotional book?

This “40-day Spiritual Game Plan for Men” takes you through 40 topics that are important to men: their wives, children, work, relationship with God and plans for the future.

Each day’s reading follows a reliable pattern, including an introduction, several scripture verses that address the day’s topic, and examples from sports, entertainment or politics of the day’s principle in action.  Then the reader is challenged with tough questions and a way to apply the truth to his life.

As a man, I found this steady pattern to be intriguing and helpful.  The introduction shows that the authors understand the issues facing men.  It doesn’t sugar-coat the issues – from struggles with mothers-in-law to holding friends accountable, “Living Life in The Zone” presents the real issues, demonstrating an understanding of the struggles and challenges involved in life.

It was refreshing to see the examples at the end of each chapter; some were good examples, some bad.  It was clear that you can learn from both positive and negative examples.

I recommend this well-written book to any man who wants to take the next spiritual step but doesn’t want the typical devotional.

Making a Better Preacher Part 1 - Plan Ahead

Believe me, I have a long way to go in my preaching.  But there are a few things that have helped me improve along the way. 

One technique that helped me was to plan ahead.  Planning helps me because one of the most difficult parts for me about preaching is deciding what to preach about.  Don’t get me wrong – there is no shortage of material – but sometimes settling on one topic or passage is difficult.  Early in my career, it was just another reason to procrastinate, which is a problem I will address in a later installment of this series.  I found that taking a few hours planning once or twice a year was fantastic in setting the pace and settling the “What Should I Preach?” question.

So maybe you are having the same struggle – Sunday’s coming, and you don’t have a clue which direction you are going in.  So let me share with you some techniques that have been helpful to me.

1. Use the church calendar.  This means that you plan in advance for things like Lent and Advent.  Those two seasons alone take care of about 10% of your church year.
2. Find a lectionary online.  A lectionary is a week-to-week set of scripture passages that are designed on a three-year cycle to give a church a well-balanced diet of Bible.  This not only gives you passages in advance, it also follows the church calendar.  For example, Good Friday will include passages on the crucifixion, etc.  In addition, it avoids a common trap that preachers can fall into – only preaching from their favorite passages.  The Salvation Army's Southern Territory publishes a quarterly guide called "The Word and Worship Resources for Salvationists" that has a plan already developed that you can use.
   
3. Follow a devotional book.  In one congregation, we used “A Guide to Prayer for All God’s People.”  This gave us one year of sermon passages in advance, and also tied in everyone’s personal devotions to the Sunday messages.
4. Check the program calendar.  There are some Sundays that are special Sundays – Men’s Sunday, Women’s Sunday, Gospel Arts Sunday, Corps Cadet Sunday; that all lend themselves either to a themed meeting or the beginning or ending of a series.
5. Tie in with current trends.  Paying attention to the world outside can help you develop a sermon series that draws in visitors to your church.  Andy Stanley of North Point Church recently preached a short series called “He’s Still Got the Whole World in His Hands,” which addresses the uncertainty of the current economy and what our faith has to say about it.
6. Borrow from other churches.  Sites like www.sermoncentral.com have examples of nice series with catchy names that you can start with.  I used the concept of “Get out of Egypt” one year for Lent, which was borrowed from Mars Hill Community Church in Grand Rapids, MI.
7. Make manageable series.  Don’t preach a sixteen-week series on the chapters of Romans.  You will get tired of it, and your people will too.  Breaking it up gives some much-needed variety.  Usually a three-eight week series is a good length.
8. Share the plan.  I like to share my preaching plan with staff and volunteers who are responsible for designing the service, selecting music, etc.  I have used Google Docs online to create and share my plan so that the planning group can see it at any time, including updates as I change my mind or direction.  Sometimes, up to 18 months of plan has been available this way.

Maybe you have some planning tools that you use – I’d like to learn from you if you have a winning idea.